of Oceanus, appear manifest
to our longing eyes and show us some spring of water from the rock or
some sacred flow gushing from the earth, goddesses, wherewith we may
quench the thirst that burns us unceasingly. And if ever again we return
in our voyaging to the Achaean land, then to you among the first of
goddesses with willing hearts will we bring countless gifts, libations
and banquets."

(ll. 1422-1431) So he spake, beseeching them with plaintive voice; and
they from their station near pitied their pain; and lo! First of all
they caused grass to spring from the earth; and above the grass rose
up tall shoots, and then flourishing saplings grew standing upright far
above the earth. Hespere became a poplar and Eretheis an elm, and Aegle
a willow's sacred trunk. And forth from these trees their forms looked
out, as clear as they were before, a marvel exceeding great, and Aegle
spake with gentle words answering their longing looks:

(ll. 1432-1449) "Surely there has come hither a mighty succour to your
toils, that most accursed man, who robbed our guardian serpent of life
and plucked the golden apples of the goddesses and is gone; and has
left bitter grief for us. For yesterday came a man most fell in wanton
violence, most grim in form; and his eyes flashed beneath his scowling
brow; a ruthless wretch; and he was clad in the skin of a monstrous lion
of raw hide, untanned; and he bare a sturdy bow of olive, and a bow,
wherewith he shot and killed this monster here. So he too came, as one
traversing the land on foot, parched with thirst; and he rushed wildly
through this spot, searching for water, but nowhere was he like to
see it. Now here stood a rock near the Tritonian lake; and of his own
device, or by the prompting of some god, he smote it below with his
foot; and the water gushed out in full flow. And he, leaning both his
hands and chest upon the ground, drank a huge draught from the rifted
rock, until, stooping like a beast of the field, he had satisfied his
mighty maw."

(ll. 1450-1457) Thus she spake; and they gladly with joyful steps ran
to the spot where Aegle had pointed out to them the spring, until they
reached it. And as when earth-burrowing ants gather in swarms round a
narrow cleft, or when flies lighting upon a tiny drop of sweet honey
cluster round with insatiate eagerness; so at that time, huddled
together, the Minyae thronged about the spring from the rock. And thus
with wet lips one cried to anoth